When this card was released, Denis Potvin had already won the 1974 Calder Trophy, three Norris Trophies, four First-Team and one Second-Team All-Star berths, and two Stanley Cups, yet THIS is what Topps (and O-Pee-Chee) chose as an example of Denis in action.

In case you’re wondering what some of the other “Super Action” cards from this set look like, here you go…

Here’s Ray Bourque doing his thing.

And the Whalers’ Mike Rogers, who was quite the star back in the early Reagan years.

And then there’s Billy Barber getting ready to pot another one.

So why does the Potvin card show the defense legend looking like a clumsy oaf?

Anyway, I believe it is Billy Smith who Denis has literally fallen head over heels for. Considering Smith’s nickname was “Battlin’ Billy”, I’m not sure this situation resolved itself peacefully. Then again, Potvin was the Islanders’ captain at the time, so maybe Billy gave him a free pass.